City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Bakersfield, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 4.5% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $104,500 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 18% in Bakersfield, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Asheville, NC to Bakersfield, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.5% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Bakersfield, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,539 in Bakersfield | $95,658 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,140/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Bakersfield-Delano, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 90.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
55 Fair offer
Bakersfield, CA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Bakersfield, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Bakersfield, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Bakersfield, CA | Real change, Asheville → Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Bakersfield, CA | Bakersfield pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $79,900 | $76,431 (+52.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $130,330 | $124,672 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $79,620 | $76,163 (−5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $128,810 | $123,218 (+51.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.